JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Management of personal health information can positively impact patients’ well-being, involvement in their care, and medical outcomes. Older adults constitute a growing segment of the population with increasing healthcare needs who could potentially greatly benefit from personal health information management (PHIM) and PHIM technology. Older adults, however, differ in terms of their characteristics, needs, and challenges, depending on their age – whether they are adults entering older age (circa 50 years old) or elderly adults (circa 69 and above). To ensure effective PHIM and to provide tools to support it, it is crucial to investigate the needs, challenges, processes, and tools used by those different age groups.

Objective:

As the literature on PHIM by older adults is evolving, yet still emerging and rather scattered, our study aims to systematically review the extant empirical evidence on this topic, establish the status quo of the research, and propose an agenda for further studies. Drawing from the patient work approach, this paper reviews current literature on PHIM by older adults from several perspectives: 1) personal – level factors which impact older adults’ PHIM; 2) PHIM tasks carried out by them; 3) tools that older adults adopt to support PHIM and their preferences for PHIM technology design; 4) physical settings of PHIM activities by older adults; and 5) social-organizational aspects which influence older adults’ PHIM.

Methods:

Our study carries out a systematic review of literature from 1998 to 2019, done following the PRISMA framework. Qualitative analysis of included papers is carried out using Dedoose©. Our review provides a comprehensive view of the empirical evidence on the topic, considering all the elements that play a role in older adults’ patient work systems.

Results:

A total of 19 studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. The analysis reveals a variety of perspectives and methods undertaken. Consolidated empirical evidence relates to all elements of the patient work system (the largest body of evidence on personal factors), with the least findings touching upon PHIM’s physical environment. The literature suggests the elements which play a role in PHIM by older adults are complex, multidimensional, and frequently intertwined with the environment, surroundings, and older adults’ lifestyle. Most research has thus far examined older adults as an individual age group. Findings indicate that only one study examined the differences in PHIM by pivotal agers vs. the elderly.

Conclusions:

Extant research demonstrates a considerable body of evidence on PHIM by older adults, although opportunities for further studies remain across all elements of the patient work system in terms of empirical, design science, or review work.